I Belong to You (Inside Out #5)(47)

“Mr. Compton—” he begins.

But I’ve already dismissed him, my long strides leading me toward Crystal’s office. At her closed door, I don’t bother to knock. I open it to find Crystal and Kara behind her desk, eyes locked on something in front of them. They both look up and my gaze collides with Crystal’s, the impact like a hard punch in the chest.

She feels it, too. I see it in the way her eyes widen, the way her chest lifts with a breath beneath her red dress. She crosses her arms defensively in front of her, the distance between us suddenly miles, not feet, and too damn far to please me.

My gaze flicks to Kara, who holds up her hands. “I know I’m not your favorite person today, and I was going to send Jacob, but I’m ex-FBI and he’s ex-military. My expertise is what’s needed right now.” She motions to the desk. “We have something we need you to see before I package it up.”

Tension rockets through me at the certainty that whatever I’m about to discover could be related to Jimenez. I round the desk to stand next to Crystal and see a white piece of paper with two typed sentences in the center. My fingers curl by my sides as I read: Get out before you end up like Rebecca.

My reaction is instant, my emotions a tornado of dangerous debris I’ve long suppressed. Anger, fear, and guilt grind through me like glass.

I reach for Crystal, pulling her to face me. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

Her fingers curl into the sleeves of my jacket. “I’m okay. I’m not scared. I think someone just wants to scare me into quitting.”

“Which is exactly what you’re going to do,” I say firmly. “You’ve worked with Sara some. She’s doing private hire work in Paris, finding art for customers and making the purchase for them. I’ll send you to work with her.”

“What? No. Are you crazy? I’m not going anywhere. Dana needs me, and so do you, even if you don’t want to admit it.”

“I happily admit it. I need you, Crystal, and I need you alive. You’re going to Paris.”

“No. I’m not.”

“You’re not working here.”

“I’m not quitting, and I’m not letting you fire me. Whoever sent this threat must know I’m close to you and your family. So if they mean to hurt me, who says I’m not a target if I quit? Or even if I leave? Who’s going to protect me in Paris?”

“I’ll hire security.”

“I’m not going. You can’t make me go.”

Grinding my teeth, I round the desk, trying to walk off the emotions I’m not accustomed to feeling, let alone containing.

“We’ll protect her,” Kara promises.

I stop walking and turn to face her. “That’s what you said about finding Ava. Where is she?”

“I know this is frustrating.”

“Spare me the automated replies. We both know that no matter how you try to protect her, you can’t guarantee her safety.”

“I know we’ll do a better job than anyone else would. It’s personal, and in the right way. For you, it’s personal in the wrong way. Give us all the information you have, and let us make it count. We have to work together.”

“You shouldn’t need my information to do your job.” And I have to decide if that means I trust them, or take matters into my own hands more than I already have. “What are you doing about this, right here and right now?”

Kara removes a pair of rubber gloves from her pocket and works one of them over her hand. “I’m overnighting the note and the envelope to the FBI lab for results.”

“There won’t be any prints,” I say.

“You don’t know that for sure,” Crystal says.

“I know whoever dropped that kid off in Long Island without being seen wasn’t an amateur. Professionals don’t leave prints.”

“We have to try,” Kara interjects. “Humans make mistakes, and any chance of finding out who we’re dealing with has to be explored.”

“Even if you learn who did this, you have to actually find them. And considering that Ava’s still on the run, my confidence that that will happen isn’t high.” My eyes shift to Crystal. “I won’t let you end up like Rebecca.”

“Then keep her close to you and us,” Kara says. “Let us protect her.”

The intercom buzzes and Crystal reaches for the button. “Leave it,” I order.

“I’m not letting whoever this is stop me from doing my job,” she says, glaring at me as she punches the button. “Yes, Beverly?”

“Is Mr. Compton there with you?” Beverly asks.

“I’m here,” I say tightly.

“Mr. Murphy hasn’t left. He says he won’t until he sees you.”

“I’ll be right out,” I say.

Crystal lets go of the button. “He’s a problem looking for a headline.”

“Exactly my take,” I say.

“What are you going to do? He has a hundred thousand dollars on the auction table next Saturday.”

“Ninety percent of our problems come from ten percent of our business. We’re getting rid of the problems.” I ask Kara, “Any more word from Luke?”

“Not yet, and I think it’s a bluff by the police. I don’t see how this kid can explain how he disappeared at the same time Ava did, if he truly intends to blame you.”